Calendar

Democratic Primary 2014

REMEMBER TO VOTE TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 9!

*NOTE: Not sure if which rep or senate race is the election you are looking for? Enter your address on the Secretary of State’s website and find out where your polling place is and what ward/precinct is yours. After primary, defeated candidates’ names will be stricken out. Candidates arranged alphabetically. Winning candidates will be transferred to the general election page if they face an opponent on the ballot. Races with no opposition on November ballot, thus the primary will all, but name the winner have *

Offices Held: none elected, Director of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid under Pres. Obama
Profession: Doctor/non-profit executiveFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Glenn Beck may not be his friend, but the bulk of the progressive movement in Massachusetts is. Berwick served as a recess appointee in charge of Medicare & Medicaid, during which time he managed one of, if not the largest blocks of the federal government. It is his unapologetic liberal pitch, particularly on single-payer, but other issues, too, that has endeared him to the Bay State left and earned him a strong third at the convention. While competitive with Coakley and Grossman for fundraising, Berwick’s law name recognition limits the parallels between him and the insurgency of Deval Patrick in 2006.

Martha Coakley (via Twitter/@marthacoakley)

Martha Coakley

Offices Held: Mass. Attorney General (current since 2007), Middlesex District Attorney 1995-2003
Profession: Lawyer/ProsecutorFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): The Attorney General for eight years, Coakley has consistently polled as the front runner in the primary and general election. However, many in the party remain disappointed in her after her failure to Scott Brown in 2010. Still, outside the party diehards, Coakley has rehabilitated her image and only a distinct minority question the progress her administration of the AG’s office has brought the commonwealth.

Steve Grossman (via Facebook/Grossman campaign)

Steven Grossman

Offices Held: Mass. Treasurer/Receiver-Gen. (current since 2011).
Profession: BusinessmanFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Grossman won the convention, but will he win the primary war? The former chair/co-chair of the state and national Democratic parties, Grossman has been a political fixture in the Bay State for some time, but is no political dinosaur. He has amassed supporters across generations and his term as treasurer (and head of the School Building Authority) has built up a lot of good will. However, he has, until recently, struggled with name recognition against Coakley. Supporters remind skeptical self-important bloggers, he overcame the same in the 2010 treasurer’s primary.

Mass. Lt. Governor

Note: While nominated separately in the primary, the nominee for Lt. Governor will join the gubernatorial nominee on the ballot and be elected as one ticket in November.

Leland Cheung (via Twitter/@lelandcheung)

Leland Cheung

Offices Held: Cambridge City Council (current since 2010)
Profession: Tech entrepreneur.FacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): A rather late entrant into the race for number tow, Cheung, a thrice elected to Cambridge’s all at-large Council nevertheless scored a spot on the ballot and added a bit of diversity to the race. Cheung has led a very open campaign, passing out his cell phone freely while leveraging Blue Mass Group to discuss the Lt’s office, whose only real power is to be the governor’s understudy. Although not well known beyond the 128 belt, Cheung has tried to reach out to younger voters and make a pitch to use the office as a means to expand the tech the economy across the commonwealth.

Steven Kerrigan (via Facebook/Kerrigan campaign)

Steven Kerrigan

Offices Held: Lancaster Select Board 1998-2001
Profession: Government staffer under AG Tom Reilly, Sen. Ted KennedyFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Like the Steve on the top of the ballot although of the next generation, Kerrigan has wracked up an array of contacts and jobs from Boston to Washington DC, including serving on the Democratic National Convention committee and 2012 Inaugural committees. Not surprisingly, that has also given him entree to political circles across the commonwealth. Additionally, being LGBT, he has attracted the support of the Bay State’s gay & lesbian groups and adds that diversity to the race as well. He has proposed the office adopt an ombudsman role.

Mike Lake (via Facebook/Lake Campaign)

Michael Lake

Offices Held: None elected, former White House staffer
Profession: Non-profit executive, gov’t stafferFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): After an unsuccessful bid for auditor in 2010, Lake returned to run for lieutenant governor this cycle. Although not quite as well connected as Kerrigan, Lake has his own stable of supporters after a stint in the Clinton Administration and holding a top post at non-profit Leading Cities. Lake has emphasized his hardscrabble upbringing on the stump and leveraged Deval Patrick-esque rhetoric in his pitch to voters. He has suggested, as Tim Murray did before him, to use the office as a conduit between localities and the governor’s office.

Other Offices Held: None elected, former bureau chief in AG’s office
Profession: LawyerFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): A political newcomer, Healey has kept a tight (and prognosticators even say she is leading) race in the campaign to succeed her old boss Martha Coakley. Continuity has been one of Healey’s selling point, implicitly or not, but her campaign gained visibility when she came out in favor of repealing casinos and breaking with her former boss (who initially struck the question from the ballot). Critics say it was a tactical move, but it and nimble plays on transparency put her in a position to rally a close result at the convention with a serious chance to win the primary. More broadly, Healey with LGBT and other groups and Tolman with labor has made the AG’s race perhaps the more exciting statewide primary contest.

Warren Tolman (via Facebook/Tolman campaign)

Warren Tolman

Other Offices Held: state senate 1995-1999 from Watertown, state rep 1991-1995
Profession: Lawyer/ConsultantFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): A “prince of labor” in the words of WGBH’s Peter Kadzis, the Tolman family has had a lengthy career in politics. Both he and his brother, now the state AFL-CIO chief, held seats in the legislature. After two bids for statewide office, LT in 1998 general and governor in the 2002 primary, Tolman took a break and pursued private practice. With the AG’s office open, he reentered the political fray. While his private practice work and apparent shifts since his time as a legislator have dogged him, Tolman has both money and, depending on how labor deploys resources up ticket, manpower. While Healey may be a stiffer challenge than previously thought, Tolman’s history suggests he is no stranger to a fight.

Other Offices Held: state rep from Wayland (currently held since 2007)
Profession: Consultant/Risk ManagmentFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Conroy has both won and lost unlikely races. His 2006 bid for the House led him to upend an established Republican. His 2012 bid for US Senate did not go as well. But against a longer-serving legislator (Finegold) and a woman who has appeared on statewide ballots (Goldberg), Conroy has himself kept up quite a contest. As a legislator, he made friends with Western Mass colleagues like Aaron Vega and fellow Holyokers like Treasurer Jon Lumbra and performed well at the convention. Tending to the critical and wonky details of state finances and translating them to the layman has been his forte.

Barry Finegold (via Facebook/Finegold campaign)

Barry Finegold

Other Offices Held: state senator from Andover (currently held since 2011), state rep 1997-2011
Profession: AttorneyFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): State senator and state rep, Finegold has also run for Congress and has attracted the lions share of colleagues support in this election. While pilloried for some votes, Finegold has hardly been a conservadem in his tenure voting against casinos (both Conroy and Goldberg oppose casinos as well) and reinstating the death penalty, including a vote as a rep that many thought meant the end of his political career.

Deb Goldberg (via Twitter/@debgoldbergma)

Deb Goldberg

Other Offices Held: Brookline Select Board 1998-2004
Profession: Businesswoman, non-profit leaderFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Goldberg’s family once controlled Stop & Shop before a hostile takeover at in the 1980’s, but since then the former Brookline town official has been in the public sector. She came in second against Tim Murray in 2006 and has been involved in non-profit work since. The Treasurer’s campaign has not attracted the attention of AG or even possibly the LT’s race, but Goldberg has some statewide name recognition which ostensibly propelled her to the top at the convention. Goldberg has also attracted a sizable sum of labor support.

Other Offices Held: Springfield Ward 7 Councilor (currently held since 2010)
Profession: IT Executive, ProfessorFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): The do-gooder City Councilor from the Springfield’s most affluent ward established a reputation as an independent and diligent voice on the Council. Often with his partner in (the opposite of) crime, Mike Fenton, Allen was often at the forefront of opposing bad, surreptitious or nonsensical city behavior. As a senate candidate, things have not been as smooth. An unsuccessful effort to boot opponent Lesser turned off some natural allies. Still, Allen enjoys a good reputation in the city and, coupled with better messaging, he cannot be counted out of the race. You can see Allen’s municipal profile here.

James “Chip” Harrington (via Facebook/Harrington campaign)

James “Chip” Harrington

Other Offices Held: Ludlow School Committee (currently held since 2005), Ludlow Select Board 1994-1997
Profession: Business owner, special police officerFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Harrington’s pitch has been that he is both the moderate in the race able to defeat the Republicans in this bluish, but still purple senate district. A fixture in Ludlow politics and society for years, Harrington was also technically the first to announce preempting even Angelo Puppolo who was widely thought to run, but declined suddenly. Harrington has also offered his experience as a variety store owner to appeal to the business community and despite sharing a base with fellow Ludlowite Saunders, has aggressively courted votes in all quarters of the district both geographically and ideologically.

Thomas Lachiusa (via Twitter/@tomlachiusa)

Thomas Lachiusa

Other Offices Held: None elected, served as social worker in jail.
Profession: Social workerFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Lachiusa’s campaign is difficult to assess properly. While appearing at several events, folks in the media have tended to describe (off the record) his campaign as one-dimensional, namely social worker. Looking over his election materials, it is not hard to draw that conclusion. Although a long time Longmeadow Democrat, his campaign’s impact is to eat away at Lesser vote…maybe. He is said to truly desire the sheriff’s office when Ashe retires.

Eric Lesser (via Facebook/Lesser campaign)

Eric Lesser

Other Offices Held: None elected, served as White House aide.
Profession: Gov’t/campaign staffer, law student (on leave), consultantFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): With the proviso that we are aware of critiques of our coverage, it is hard to ignore the fact that Lesser has been running a campaign more reminiscent of a congressional or statewide bid. Whether that wins the former Obama aide the senate seat is a different matter. The Longmeadow resident’s story into the White House is familiar now, but upon his exit—to return to Harvard for law school—Lesser somehow left the DC snake pit beloved by media and politicos alike, something he did in micro as he battled town budget writers in high school. No easy feat. Skeptics deride his narrative of returning home or lay charges of ambition, but others seem attracted to the tone and substance of his campaign. A photogenic infant daughter and an ample supply of volunteers to knock doors and call voters has not hurt either.

Aaron Saunders (via Facebook/Saunders campaign)

Aaron Saunders

Other Offices Held: Ludlow Select Board (currently held since 2008).
Profession: Gov’t staffer, gov’t relationsFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Saunders, the former Chief of Staff to Gale Candaras, the woman whom he would like to succeed, has positioned himself as her sequel. It is not a bad card to play, but at the same time a bit more low key than his former boss. Saunders has connections built up from government service and a liberal record to attract reformers to his cause. Like Harrington, however, he has had to contend with sharing a backyard in this election.

Other Offices Held: None elected, Holyoke Fire Commissioner.
Profession: EMS coordinatorFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Appointed to the Fire Commission in 2012 by Mayor Morse, Hopewell has been pitching himself as a more liberal alternative to perceived frontrunner Leahy in the Democratic primary. Hopewell’s campaign has had its own troubles, but appears on track now. Having worked his way up from a paramedic, health care is prominent in his campaign, although in part, because reduced spending could relieve funds for other priorities.

Patrick Leahy (via Facebook/non-campaign)

Patrick Leahy

Other Offices Held: None elected, Holyoke police office.
Profession: Police officer, realtorFacebook
TwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Leahy has a family name, palm card-ready family and, via his police union card, a gateway to labor, both of which pack quite a punch in decidedly Democratic, but heavily Blue-collar Holyoke, which both Leahy and Hopewell share as a home base. Leahy has faced criticism from Hopewell for lacking definition, although recent debates between the two did put Leahy’s platform into clearer focus. On some level, Leahy is playing beyond the primary already facing the challenge of dislodging Don Humason before he becomes to entrenched. In the primary Leahy and Hopewell seem to agree on several issues, which would be advantage Leahy. In the general, contrast will be key.

Eighth Hampden*

Other Offices Held: None known
Profession: UnknownFacebookTwitterWebsite
Tagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): A relative mystery among candidates, especially as Rep. Wagner often goes without even token challenges. Corchesne’s campaign appears quite conservative for a Democratic primary complete with a no-tax pledge and blasting “illegal” immigrants. Corchesne also ran for City Council last year unsuccessfully against incumbent Ward 7 Councilor George Moreau.

Joseph Wagner (via malegislature.gov)

Joseph Wagner (inc.)

Other offices Held: state rep from Chicopee (current held since 1991), former mayoral aide.
Profession: Gov’t staffer/bureaucrat
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Tagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Wagner had not had a challenger of any kind since 2006 and has faced no Democratic primary challenge since winning a special election in 1991 to fill Kenneth Lemanski’s seat. Once a member and chairman of the Transportation Committee, Wagner now leads the Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committees. Although no liberal lion in the legislature, Wagner appears to be a typical blue collar Democrat and, absent any major incidents seems unlikely to fall to a challenge from his right. However, it would behoove him to have a staffer to create official social media accounts and a volunteer to do the same for his non-campaign activities.

Other offices Held: None elected, or public.
Profession: National union officialFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): He may be the only Collins on the ballot, but he is not the only Collins. Ed Collins, brother Chris, a school committee member and Tim, the Springfield teachers union head, has his story as the International Representative for the IBEW and a prominent state Democrat. Serving as a delegate to the national convention and on the state party, it was his candidacy that cleared the field in what could have otherwise been an even more fractured field. Despite access to just about any help possible from labor, he does appear a bit locked between the Irish votes Murphy is seeking and the 16 Acres votes Tosado has. Labor has not spent an independent money on the race, yet, but a sudden Marty Walsh-sized push could change things.

Peter Murphy (via Twitter/@petermurphyma09

Peter Murphy

Other offices Held: Springfield School Committee Wards 2/8 (currently held since 2010).
Profession: LawyerFacebookTwitter
WebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Although twice elected to the School Committee, this contest is by far the most competitive Murphy has ever faced dueling two seasoned political figures. Murphy fits within a certain tier of the establishment that sometimes mistakes their pecking order, although at the same time he has gotten contributions and support from a pretty broad swath of city political circles. Still, with somebody as connected as Collins in the race, many in the Irish and certainly labor establishment seem likely to take a pass. However, he has been said to be working the precincts in the district that overlap with wards 2 & 8. That’s still a lot of Irish grandparents in Hungry Hill you need to wrack up, though. You can see Murphy’s municipal profile here.

Jose Tosado (via Twitter/@josetosado4rep)

Jose Tosado

Other offices Held: Springfield City council at-large 2002-2011, school committee 2000-2002.
Profession: Manager/social worker, Dept of Mental HealthFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): The first Latino Springfield City Councilor may make city political history again if he wrests control of this historically East Springfield and (usually) Irish seat. A Puerto Rican rep from 16 Acres would be a switch from the seat’s traditions, but for a councilor whose crossover appeal led him to top the at-large ballot for a cycle or two it is hardly out of the question. A ill-fated run for mayor ended his municipal political career, but over 10 years in office he built up an independent and increasingly progressive record. More Latinos in the district helps him, but really what, if any good feelings, people had when they elected him councilor again and again are what he will need to go to Boston.

10th Hampden*

Other offices Held: Springfield City Council Ward 3 (currently held since 2010).
Profession: Retired, former employee at Department of Mental HealthFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): A bit chastened after a run for state senate that almost, in fact, killed him, Edwards is seeking the open House seat formerly belonging to Cheryl Coakley-Rivera who resigned earlier this year. Compared to 2012’s senate bid, Edwards is actually lined up well to win. It is no sure thing, but with strength in Ward 3 and friends in Ward 6, particularly in the newly included precinct that includes the Cozy Corner of Forest Park, Edwards could pull of a win if Gonzalez and Hernandez split the Latino vote. Edwards has a decent record on the Council, but there are chinks in his armor that ensure this will be a horse race if either Gonzalez or Hernandez do everything right.

Carlos Gonzalez (via Facebook/Gonzalez campaign)

Carlos Gonzalez

Other offices Held: none elected, former government staffer.
Profession: Civic leader, head of Mass Latino Chamber of CommerceFacebook
TwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): No stranger to this seat, Gonzalez went toe to toe with Cheryl Coakley-Rivera nearly 16 years ago battling it out among the city’s ward committees to be named the replacement for Rep. Scibelli who died shortly after the 1998 primary. His former rival backed him in this race, which some say was a bit transactional. In any event, Gonzalez went in a different direction for a number of years leading the Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. In addition to Coakley-Rivera’s backing, Gonzalez has other Latino establishment support as well as other parts of the fragmented Hispanic community, but the same can be said of Hernandez. The Gonzalez camp counters that it is growing its base bringing in new voters and supporters across the district.

Ivette Hernandez (via Facebook/Hernandez campaign)

Ivette Hernandez

Other offices Held: none elected, DCF employee.
Profession: Dept of Children & Families social workerFacebook
TwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Another newcomer to the scene, but Hernandez via her union SEIU 509, has been active in the Central Labor Council and Jobs with Justice. Indeed, aside from prominent Latinos who have endorsed her campaign, labor has been particularly visible in this race. Her union local has been lending tangible support while SEIU 1199 spent an indeterminate amount on her behalf (the expenditure also listed Martha Coakley as a beneficiary, but did not distinguish the two). More importantly, Hernandez with campaign manager Calvin Feliciano may be able to muster an army of door knockers and GOTV for the primary. Still, she will need to not just pull votes, but persuade some outside of Ward 1.

11th Hampden*

Other offices Held: none known
Profession: Social Services/case manager (historical)
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Tagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Your guess is as good as ours, but Lawson has challenged Swan at least four or five times since the latter won the seat in 1994. Archives suggest Lawson has a history of activism, but his perennial candidacies have historically been underfunded and un-competitive affairs.

Benjamin Swan (via malegislature.gov)

Benjamin Swan

Other offices Held: none known
Profession: Educational and psychological consultant, fmr Springfield NAACP headFacebook
TwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Earlier this year, Swan was widely expected to retire prompting a mini-scramble. Indeed, rumor was he wanted to retire a cycle or more before, but has been persuaded to stay in the game. Grandfatherly and fairly effective, for whatever reason he has faced challenges constantly practically ever since he scored the seat in 1994. Perhaps, compared to the countless legislators who never have break out the lawn signs, getting primaries may be a sign of doing something right. If history is any guide, Swan will be raising his right hand under the Sacred Cod once more come January.

Hampden District Attorney

Shawn Allyn (via Twitter/@allynsp, non-campaign)

Shawn Allyn

Other offices Held: none elected, former Holyoke assistant city solicitor, social worker
Profession: Attorney, formerly social workerFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): A generally all-purpose attorney, Allyn’s practice has been a mix of criminal defense and civil litigation. His taking up of Melvin Jones III’s case is what most people in Springfield remember about him. At the same time, an adverse decision from judge Phil Contant earlier this year has also raised eyebrows. However, his civil rights work has earned him the support of big names like Ben Swan. To some, his prodigious criminal defense work (and constant presence on the trail) has gleaned supporters–liberal and conservative– and practically unified Holyoke’s political chasm behind him. Allyn, revealed his sexual orientation early this year, has not run on an explicit LBGT issues, but, if elected, he would be one of only a handful of gay DA’s nationwide.

Hal Etkin (via Twitter/@etkinforda)

Hal Etkin

Other offices Held: none elected, former Springfield city solicitor, Hampden ADA, police academy director
Profession: AttorneyFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): Arguably Etkin has the most diverse resume of the pack seeking the DA’s office, however, he is somewhat far off from his time as an ADA. Etkin has had a few gaffes along the way that, in the words of the Republican, made audiences “cringe,” but those aside, his efforts comes across as an earnest endeavors. While the fiscal arithmetic is not always clear, Etkin has regularly cranked out proposals every week regarding his plans for the DA’s office. Incredibly ambitious, some would almost certainly need legislative assent, but are a testament to his commitment to the race and the position he seeks.

Anthony Gulluni (via Twitter/@gulluniforda)

Anthony Gulluni

Other offices Held: none elected, former Springfield city solicitor, Hampden ADA.
Profession: AttorneyFacebookTwitterWebsiteTagged StoriesOn the Candidate (briefly): By far the youngest candidate in the race, which can be both liability and strength, especially in a lower turnout primary-only affair. Gulluni also benefits from the high name recognition of his father, Frank, who was among the founders of the Massachusetts Career Development Institute, which closed under subsequent leadership. Gulluni clearly has establishment support, but he also has a notable reformer or two on his side in addition to the man who hired him William Bennett. At the same time relying on the establishment ain’t what it used to be and Gulluni has engaged an aggressive PR and outreach offensive to win.

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